Current-motor.



s4. PATENTED AUG. 11 1908. N9 895's J. 1;. BELT.

CURRENT MOTOR.

AYPLICATION FILED JULY 27,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

u f v WU r 0 Z W /M m M 34, 2 a 5 .ll iii-3135.2 2 iilalr lizi luu U ITED TATES PATENT OFFICE. I

JARED E. BELT,- OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA."

CURRENT-MOTOR.

T a-llachom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JARED E. BELT, -of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current- Motors, of which the following is a specifi cation.

This invention relates to improvements in motors adapted to be actuated by a current of water, either from a running stream or from the ebb and flow of the tide, and the invention consists generally in the constructions and combinations, hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan View of a motor embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line :c-a: of Fig.

1. Fig. 4 is' a detail plan of the means for su porting and adjustin the device. Fig. 5 1s a detail section-on 'ne v-y of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail of the flexible blade. Fig. 7 is a detail showing a modified construction of the blade.

In the drawings, 2-2 representsuitable channel beams that are secured to the walls of a flume or channel, or floats that may be used to support the motor. through which the water, that is to operate the motor, passes. These channel beams are of any suitable size and they are supported in any suitable manner.

3 represents an upper horizontal beam and 5 a lower horizontal beam or base plate or sill. The beam 3 and base plate 5 are connected by the vertical channel beams T.

referably bolted securely at the top and ottoln to said beam and base plate. A

series of frames ,9 (as here shown, three in number) are secured to the channel beams T at each end of the device and these frames are provided with the rolls 1 1 that bear upon opposite flanges of the beam 2 (see Fig. 1D.

These frames embrace the channel beams 2 and hold the device in position so that it can be raised and lowered upon said channel beams. As there would be considerable friction between the movable frames and the channel beams 2, owing to the pressure of the water upon the motor. I prefer to provide the wheels or rolls 11 that are adapted to roll upon the edges of the channel beams 2-2. These rolls are preferably provided Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 27, 1903. Serial No. 161,175.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

and permit of its being vertically adjusted with case.

Upon the inside of the channel beam 2 is a bracket 13 having a socket that forms and 0 has a bearing for a suitable ball 15. A nut 17 is bolted, upon the edge of the channel beam 7 and a screw rod 19 having a hand wheel 21, asses through a lug 23 secured upon theciannel beam 2 and engages the threaded nut 17 and the lower end of said rod rests upon the ball 15. The nut 17 and screw 19 support the entire weight of the device and this weight is transmitted,

through the ball 15 and bracket-13, to the channel beam 2. By means of this screw. connection the apparatus may be raised or lowered 'and any desired portion of the blades, hereinafter described, may thus be submerged in the water. I also provide at the top and bottom of the apparatus the horizontal parallel channel beams 25 and 27. These are connected to the horizontal beam 3 and the base plate 5 by suitable brace rods v 29 and 31. Mounted in bearings upon the horizontal beam 3 and the base plate 5, are the shafts 33, one at each end of the device, and these shafts preferably have their lower ends mounted in step bearings 35 upon the base plate 5, said step bearings being each )referably )rovidcd with an anti-friction ro ler 15 (see ig. 3). The shafts 33 are provided with the sprocket wheels or pulleys 37 and the upper ends of the shafts 33 are preferably provided with beveled pinions 39 engagin corresponding pinions 41 upon a horizonta shaft 43. This shaft is provided wit-h a suitable belt pulley 45 to which a belt may be applied for driving any suitable machinery that it is desired to operate from this motor, or metal shive for use of wire rope device. Suitable endless chains 47 and 49 are arranged upon the wheels 37 and these chains are connected to a series of posts 51 provided at their upper and lower ends'with anti-friction rollers 52 adapted to travel in the channels of the beams 25 and '27. To each of the l posts 51 is hinged a blade or plate 53 and suitable check chains 55 connected to the free edges of the blades are each connected I also to the next succeeding post 51. I

This device is arranged either across a running stream or in such position that it will stand substantially at right angles to the diupon each edge of the channel beams so as to maintain the motor frame in proper position I rection of the flow of the tide. hen the 1 water is passing through the motor in the y direction of the arrow at the bottom of Fig. 1, the blades 53 will assume the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. As soon as the blades are carried around the sprocket wheels with the chains engaging said wheels, the eiades swing upon the posts into the opposite position.

The operation of the motor will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description. The parts. being in the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings and the motor being properly submerged, a current of water flowing in the direction of the arrow in the lower part of said figure, will strike against the blades 53 and these blades being in an inclined position, the force of the water will cause the blades to travel to the right. Asthe water passes through themotor it strikes the blades at the opposite side and causes them to travel toward the left. This operation being continuous, the shafts 33 and the driving shaft 43 will be continuously rotated. The motor is capable of o eration ,in either direction. Should the direction of the fl0w of the water change and the water pass in the opposite direction through the motor, the osition of the blades 53 will be reversed wit out changing the direction of movement of said blades and the supporting chains or the driving shaft.

or the purpose of increasing the )ower of the motor, I prefer to make the blades 53 flexible so as to permit them to bend under the pressure of the water, as shown in the dctaileddrawings, Fi s. 6 and 7. These blades are preferably made of sheet steel or other suitable material thatwill bend readil under the pressure of the water and that will resume their normal form in passing around the sprocket wheels at the end of the machine and will then bend in the opposite direction when subjected to the pressure of the water at the other side of the motor. Instead of forming the blades of sheet steel, I may form such blades of two or more strips, suitably hinged together, and capable of flexing in either direction, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

The upper and lower channel beams 25 and 27 receive the rolls on the upper and lower ends of the posts 51 and form guides therefor and thereby retain said blades in the proper position while they are being sub- JGCtGd. to the pressure of the water.

here the flexible blades are used, the ressure of the water causes these blades to nd as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 of. the drawings. The moving water remains in contact with the blades and exerts pressure thereon for a longer )eriod of time than it would do if flat, rigid lades were employed.

In some instances it is preferable to provide a hood attachment which is secured to the frame work of the motor and comes down near to the surface of the water when the motor is submerged, covering the machinery 'wit to retain the heat produced by the motor or I I I heat that ma be supplied to the interior of the hood for the purpose of preventing the formation of ice over and around the motor. I have shown in the drawings a construction suitable for this pur ose. Ashore shown,

secured to the upper ars 25 are the bows 57 thereon.

If desired, asuitable steam or hot air pipe may-lube arranged to project into the space the hood so as to heat the air within this space. A suitable openin is provided in the hood for the passage of the driving belt.

Asuitable scale 63 is preferably provided upon the stationary channel beams 2 so as to show the depth to which the blades of the motor are submer ed. The power of the motor is governed by the amountthat the blades are submerged.

The line shaft is, with this construction, driven from either end with equal orce b the same power, thus doing awa 7 wit springing or twisting of the shaft, by liich means a shaft of smaller diameter may used. x

In light power plants where narrow blades only are required, uniform thickness of blade" to form proper curve, may be used; but when power required is great enough and volume and velocity of water will warrant it, the blades may be made the proper thickness at the center, tapering by gradation in its thickness to either edge on the princi le that a buggy spring is strengthened, leaf by leaf, to support it, thus to support a uniform curve when in action preventing, by this means, in heavy work the blade from forming into a kink or angle at any point in its surface.

By having the blades curved, I fhid that they off erless resistance to movement through the water, thus requiring less power to operate the motor.

I may arrange suitable wings at each side of the'current motor to act as wing dams and direct the water through the motor.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, in a current motor, with the vertically adjustable frame, of the movable blades supported thereby, supporting bows arranged upon said-frame, and ahood secured upon said bows and inciosing the upj in:

'per part of the motor, substantially as de- 7 pairs of carrying 5 endless belts or adjustable frame, adju ting means for said posts and to the free edges of sad blades, frame arranged upon said channel beams, substantially as described.

ertical shafts secure pon said frame, two In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set wheels on said shaft, the my hand this 22d day of July,- 1903.

' JARED E. BELT.

chains arranged upon said wheels, posts or bars connecting said chains, In presence of: flexible blades or plates hinged upon said A. 0. PAUL, posts, and stay chains connected to s id O. G. HANSON. 

